Mexico, Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic declined their participation in the 2026 Caribbean Baseball Series in Venezuela, the Caribbean Confederation (CBPC) reported on Monday, which is evaluating “available alternatives” for holding the regional tournament.

The leagues argued “external situations beyond their control,” according to the CBPC, in the midst of a US military escalation in the Caribbean that Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro claims aims to overthrow him and seize his country’s oil.

The Venezuelan league assured in early December that it was in a position to organize the annual tournament.

The United States mobilized the largest aircraft carrier in the world to the Caribbean, along with other warships, fighter planes and thousands of military personnel. And since September it has bombed around twenty alleged small boats for allegedly being related to drug trafficking and whose attacks have left almost 100 dead.

US President Donald Trump has intensified his speech against Venezuela and warned that that country’s airspace had to be clear of all types of aircraft.

Logistical conditions also worsened when foreign airlines suspended their operations with Venezuela in response to the alert from the US aviation authority in November due to an increase in military activity in the Caribbean.

In that context, the regional baseball tournament was organized in Caracas and the neighboring resort of La Guaira.

In addition to the representatives of Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic and Mexico, teams from Cuba, Panama and Japan are expected to participate as guests: they are not members of the CBPC.

Only Venezuelan flag lines fly.

“The CBPC continues to responsibly evaluate the situation, considering the different alternatives available,” the agency indicated without formally withdrawing its headquarters to the country.

Venezuela organized the Caribbean Series for the last time in 2023.